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Harvard Study: Christianity Is Not Shrinking, But Growing Stronger In The US.

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  • #46
    Originally posted by JimL View Post
    Well, we are not necessarily speaking of god here, we are talking about the study concerning the decline of christianity, so whether god exists or not is irrelevant.
    If God doesn't exist the persistence of Christianity over 2000 years from the oddest of beginnings (let's execute your Leader and start a cult?) makes little to no sense whatsoever. If God does exist, the persistence of both Christianity and theism make a lot more sense, as does the really poor growth of atheism over the same time frame.

    Despite your assertions to the contrary, people rarely 'just believe' something with no personal experience or logical conclusion with that something. So, yeah, the existence of God is relevant to explaining the findings.
    "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

    "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

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    • #47
      Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
      If God doesn't exist the persistence of Christianity over 2000 years from the oddest of beginnings (let's execute your Leader and start a cult?) makes little to no sense whatsoever. If God does exist, the persistence of both Christianity and theism make a lot more sense, as does the really poor growth of atheism over the same time frame.

      Despite your assertions to the contrary, people rarely 'just believe' something with no personal experience or logical conclusion with that something. So, yeah, the existence of God is relevant to explaining the findings.
      The disappearance of belief in Christianity with all of its mythology, miracles, heaven and hell doesn't necessarily equate to belief in god disappearing. God, whether he/she/it exists or not, for man is just an idea, an idea from out of which all the different religions throughout the world were created. And yes, very many people do just believe if they were brought up to believe which is why in the O.T. Moses teaches the parents to brainwash their children to believe.

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      • #48
        Originally posted by Mountain Man View Post
        Skeptics have been saying that about Christianity ever since Jesus rose from the dead. It's time to get a new line!
        And they were right, but like all myths/religions, it has always taken many ages for people to figure it out. A thousand years from now people will be looking at christians in the same way that christians today look at the those who used to believe in Zeus.

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        • #49
          Originally posted by JimL View Post
          The disappearance of belief in Christianity with all of its mythology, miracles, heaven and hell doesn't necessarily equate to belief in god disappearing. God, whether he/she/it exists or not, for man is just an idea, an idea from out of which all the different religions throughout the world were created. And yes, very many people do just believe if they were brought up to believe which is why in the O.T. Moses teaches the parents to brainwash their children to believe.
          God is the Creator of the Universe - He exists. Your opinion is nothing more than that - opinion, and not a well supported one. You are simply asserting things - things that aren't actually true.
          "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

          "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

          My Personal Blog

          My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

          Quill Sword

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          • #50
            Originally posted by JimL View Post
            And they were right, but like all myths/religions, it has always taken many ages for people to figure it out. A thousand years from now people will be looking at christians in the same way that christians today look at the those who used to believe in Zeus.
            History doesn't bear this out at all. The Greco-Roman pantheon collapsed extremely quickly given its previous longevity - which is true of just about all ancient pantheons that were superseded by Christianity and other monotheisms. Christianity, however, has gone through waxes and wanes before - yet it persists and even grows back. See modern Russia and China as well as Victorian England. Predictions of the end of religion and Christianity in particular have never borne out. Even massive killings have never successfully eliminated Christian faith from a nation. If it's as vulnerable as you believe, where's the proof? Why hasn't it ended altogether anywhere on Earth?
            "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

            "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

            My Personal Blog

            My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

            Quill Sword

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            • #51
              Originally posted by Mountain Man View Post
              Skeptics have been saying that about Christianity ever since Jesus rose from the dead. It's time to get a new line!
              Originally posted by JimL View Post
              And they were right, but like all myths/religions, it has always taken many ages for people to figure it out. A thousand years from now people will be looking at christians in the same way that christians today look at the those who used to believe in Zeus.
              According to a 2011 Pew Research Center study there were roughly 2.19 billion Christians worldwide and another Pew study in 2015 predicts that number will reach 3 billion in 2050.

              I wouldn't hold your breath there jimmy.

              I'm always still in trouble again

              "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
              "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
              "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

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              • #52
                Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
                God is the Creator of the Universe - He exists. Your opinion is nothing more than that - opinion, and not a well supported one. You are simply asserting things - things that aren't actually true.
                This is your opinion, nothing more than that, opinion. You are simply asserting things - things that aren't actually true.
                “He felt that his whole life was a kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it.” - Douglas Adams.

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                • #53
                  Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
                  History doesn't bear this out at all. The Greco-Roman pantheon collapsed extremely quickly given its previous longevity - which is true of just about all ancient pantheons that were superseded by Christianity and other monotheisms. Christianity, however, has gone through waxes and wanes before - yet it persists and even grows back. See modern Russia and China as well as Victorian England. Predictions of the end of religion and Christianity in particular have never borne out. Even massive killings have never successfully eliminated Christian faith from a nation. If it's as vulnerable as you believe, where's the proof? Why hasn't it ended altogether anywhere on Earth?
                  Well of course christianity persists, but it will eventually go the way of all the other preceding myths from out of which it evolved. I'm not signalling Christianity out here though, all religions will eventially suffer the same fate, a fact that I'm sure you'd probably agree with, excepting for the one that you happen to believe in, of course.
                  Last edited by JimL; 07-13-2018, 10:33 AM.

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                  • #54
                    Originally posted by JimLamebrain View Post
                    A thousand years from now people will be looking at christians in the same way that christians today look at the those who used to believe in Zeus.
                    You really have no idea how ignorant this statement is, do you?

                    I bet you can't describe the critical difference between Christianity and other religions, and why Christianity has proven so resilient despite suffering periods of intense persecution.
                    Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
                    But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
                    Than a fool in the eyes of God


                    From "Fools Gold" by Petra

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                    • #55
                      Originally posted by JimL View Post
                      Well of course christianity persists, but it will eventually go the way of all the other preceding myths from out of which it evolved.
                      You keep telling yourself that, Jim.
                      Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

                      Veritas vos Liberabit<>< Learn Greek <>< Look here for an Orthodox Church in America<><Ancient Faith Radio
                      sigpic
                      I recommend you do not try too hard and ...research as little as possible. Such weighty things give me a headache. - Shunyadragon, Baha'i apologist

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                      • #56
                        Originally posted by Mountain Man View Post
                        You really have no idea how ignorant this statement is, do you?

                        I bet you can't describe the critical difference between Christianity and other religions, and why Christianity has proven so resilient despite suffering periods of intense persecution.
                        I'll bet you can't describe the key similarities between the myths and crhristianity.

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                        • #57
                          Originally posted by One Bad Pig View Post
                          You keep telling yourself that, Jim.
                          Ok.

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                          • #58
                            Originally posted by One Bad Pig View Post
                            Nietzshe is dead.

                            - God
                            Nietzsche is not dead. And there may even be a god too.

                            Charles
                            "Yes. President Trump is a huge embarrassment. And it’s an embarrassment to evangelical Christianity that there appear to be so many who will celebrate precisely the aspects that I see Biblically as most lamentable and embarrassing." Southern Baptist leader Albert Mohler Jr.

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                            • #59
                              Originally posted by Charles View Post
                              Nietzsche is not dead. And there may even be a god too.

                              Charles
                              Gah. I thought I'd put the 'c' in there.
                              Enter the Church and wash away your sins. For here there is a hospital and not a court of law. Do not be ashamed to enter the Church; be ashamed when you sin, but not when you repent. – St. John Chrysostom

                              Veritas vos Liberabit<>< Learn Greek <>< Look here for an Orthodox Church in America<><Ancient Faith Radio
                              sigpic
                              I recommend you do not try too hard and ...research as little as possible. Such weighty things give me a headache. - Shunyadragon, Baha'i apologist

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                              • #60
                                Originally posted by JimLamebrain View Post
                                I'll bet you can't describe the key similarities between the myths and crhristianity.
                                You're no doubt referring to superficial similarities and attributing to them more significance than is warranted. But I'm thinking of one critical difference that separates Christianity from other religions. Something that makes it unique. See if you can figure it out.
                                Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
                                But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
                                Than a fool in the eyes of God


                                From "Fools Gold" by Petra

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